Welding helmet

ABSTRACT

A welding helmet of thermosetting plastic material having an exterior in the form of a mammalian head.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to welding helmets.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Welding helmets generally have a smoothly shaped exterior basedon their requisite function to protect the welder's head and neck fromsparks. Welding helmets have a viewing device which protects thewelder's eye from sparks and also provides protection from the damagingbrightness of the welding.

[0003] Welding helmets are equipped to be able to rotate from an in-useposition in front of the welder's face to an open position. Theassemblies used for this in general are headgear which the welder wearson his head and which pivotally attach to the helmet. One type is madeof straps fitting the welder's head and another fits on a hard hat wornby the welder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention is a welding helmet made of an appropriate plasticand molded in to the shape of a mammalian head. Particularimplementation includes a human skull, a bulldog, and a gorilla. Themammalian head is designed to provide a bib portion to protect the neckand upper chest area and is designated to extend sufficiently to therear to protect the side of the head and ears from sparks. Also it isshaped to enable the welder to wear a respirator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0005]FIG. 1 shows a welding helmet of the prior art.

[0006]FIG. 2 shows a generalized outline of a welding helmet of thepresent invention.

[0007]FIG. 3 is a partial section along 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing how awelding helmet of the invention is a set up for a hard hat.

[0008]FIG. 4 shows how a welding helmet of the invention is set up for astrap type headgear assembly.

[0009]FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view showing shows a particularembodiment in a human skull form.

[0010]FIG. 6 shows a particular embodiment in a bulldog face form.

[0011]FIG. 7 shows a particular embodiment in a gorilla form.

[0012]FIG. 8 is a group photograph showing the human skull, bulldog andgorilla welding helmets of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

[0013]FIG. 9 is a group photograph showing the human skull, bulldog andgorilla welding helmets of FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 being worn by welders.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a typical welding helmet 10 of the prior art whichhas a helmet portion 12, a lens system 14, and pivotable headgearassembly 16 (most of which is not seen). A group of commerciallyavailable welding helmets can be found in the 1993 Granger GeneralCatalogue No. 383 at page 1777. Welding helmets are made with a lenssystem. Sometimes a single lens is built into the helmet. In othermodels the helmet is adapted to have attached to it a lens retentionsystem made by another manufacturer. These allow exchanging of the lens.A variety of these are seen in the Granger Catalogue.

[0015] Welding helmets are also made to accept various headgearassemblies to enable the welder to mount the helmet on his head or onhis hard hat, and to allow it to rotate from an in-use position in frontof his face to an open position generally over his head. Headgearassemblies made by Huntsman Welding Corp. will work.

[0016] One issue in the design and use of welding helmets is to protectthe welder's neck and upper chest area from sparks. Therefore someaccommodation is made to have the helmet rest or seal against the upperchest such as with a bib portion. Also, welders need protection at theside of their face, even as far back as the ears. This is especially thecase where the welder has to maneuver around his work, such as to gethis head under a pipe. Therefore the helmet should extend sufficientlyto the rear of each side of the welder's head to avoid sparks.

[0017] Also, in many cases the welder should wear a respirator whilewelding.

[0018] Therefore the welding helmet must be constructed to accomplishall these requirements.

[0019] Consequently the construction of the welding helmets of thepresent invention are particularly designed to accomplish theserequirements.

[0020]FIG. 2 shows a generalized welding helmet 18 of the presentinvention having an exterior surface area 20 to be molded as a mammalianhead. It is equipped with a lens 14 and a pivotable headgear assembly16.

[0021]FIG. 3 shows how the welding helmet 18 of the present invention isadapted for a pivotable headgear 22 for use with a hard hat 24. It isnot necessary nor intended to show the prior art assemblies in detail.It is sufficient to point out that the welding helmet 18 of the presentinvention has holes 26A and 26B to receive the parts of a headgearassembly 16 which attaches to a hard hat 18. This mounting of theheadgear assembly is generally adaptable for all versions of themammalian heads, but FIG. 3 shows the human skull version 34.

[0022]FIG. 4 shows the welding helmet 18 of the present invention asadapted for conventional headgear of the drop-down limit type which setsthe rotation to stop at the right position avoiding the helmet crashinginto the welder's chest when it rotates into the in-use. Only one sideis shown, the other being a mirror image. The welding helmet 18 has aboss 28 molded into it, or attached, with holes 30 through which theheadgear assembly 32 (shown in partial exploded detail) is mountedthrough the holes 30 to receive the parts of a headgear assembly 20.

[0023] Most welding helmets come as purchased with a headgear assembly,but the headgear assembly can be purchased separately and installed in ahelmet.

[0024]FIGS. 5, 8 and 9 shows one embodiment having a human skull shape34. It is noted that the skull jaw portion 36 extends as a bib would toprovide the protection of the neck and upper chest. It also has theportion 38 extending along the side of the head for protection. Theskull jaw portion 36 allows a respirator to be worn by the welder.

[0025]FIGS. 6, 8 and 9 show the present invention in the form of abulldog 38. It has all the same features as the human skull of FIGS. 5,8 and 9.

[0026]FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show the present invention in the form of agorilla head 40. It has all the same features as the human skull andbulldog of FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 9.

[0027] Although particular embodiments of the invention have beendescribed and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modificationsand variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art, andconsequently it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover suchmodifications and equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A welding helmet comprising: a face protectionportion molded of thermosetting plastic in the shape of a mammalianhead.
 2. The welding helmet of claim 1 further comprising; a headgearassembly pivotably attached to the face protection portion.
 3. Thewelding helmet of claim 2 wherein the headgear assembly is adapted toattach to a hard hat.
 4. The welding helmet of claim 2 wherein theheadgear assembly is adapted to be worn on a user's head.
 5. The weldinghelmet of claim 1 further comprising a lens retention device permanentlyattached to the mammalian head in the position, and instead of eyestructure of the mammalian head.
 6. The welding helmet of claim 1wherein the mammalian head is a human skull.
 7. The welding helmet ofclaim 1 wherein the mammalian head is a bulldog head.
 8. The weldinghelmet of claim 1 wherein the mammalian head is a gorilla head.